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Saturday, January 18, 2025

Blumenauer, Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders, Introduce Climate Emergency Resolution

Blumenauer

Earl Blumenauer Official Website | U.S Congressman Earl Blumenauer Official Website

Earl Blumenauer Official Website | U.S Congressman Earl Blumenauer Official Website

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On May 2, 2023, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Senator Sanders (I-VT) introduced the Climate Emergency Resolution, which demands that the President wield both existing authorities and emergency powers to unleash every resource available to mitigate and prepare for the climate crisis.

"I appreciate the incredible progress that the Administration and Congress have made on climate to date. Still, Americans need more support to adapt to the effects of climate change that are happening right now and to build resilient communities for the future,” said Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) “The scope and urgency of this crisis demand that we unleash every resource at our disposal and the declaration of a national climate emergency is a critical step.”  

"While the Inflation Reduction Act made record-breaking climate investments, there is still much more to do to reverse the devastating effects of climate change. A climate emergency declaration will allow the federal government to take action to prevent future initiatives detrimental to our climate, such as the Willow project. With a divided Congress, the President’s willingness to use this executive authority is our last best chance to fight the global climate crisis,” said Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). 

“The science is clear: Addressing the existential threat of climate change is no longer an ‘option,’ but an absolute necessity,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders. “If we do not boldly transform our energy systems away from fossil fuels and aggressively cut carbon emissions, our planet will face enormous and irreversible damage. We will see more extreme heat, floods, weather disturbances, ocean acidification, drought, famine, disease, and human suffering. Climate change is a national emergency, and I am proud to be introducing this legislation with my House and Senate colleagues." 

"Our generation has known the climate crisis to be an emergency for as long as we’ve been alive – and we’ve done everything in our power to get the adults in the room to act like it. Now, at a time when our rights are being ripped away, extreme weather displaces and kills people all over the world, and faith in government is wavering, it is critical for our leaders to step up and declare a climate emergency,” said Varshini Prakash, Executive Director of Sunrise Movement.  

“This resolution gives Biden a path back to protecting people and wildlife instead of oil company profits,” said Gaby Sarri-Tobar, energy justice campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity. “It also shows how Biden can regain credibility with the many people who feel betrayed by Willow and other disastrous decisions. Biden’s policies are pushing our planet into the danger zone, but there’s still time for him to change course.” 

Congressman Earl Blumenauer has been advocating for the federal government to declare a national climate emergency since 2019 when he introduced a resolution demanding massive-scale mobilization to address the climate crisis. In 2021 Blumenauer introduced legislation, the National Climate Emergency Act, mandating the declaration of a climate emergency. In 2022, he led 60 of his House colleagues urging President Biden to declare a national climate emergency.   

Bill text can be found here.  

House Cosponsors: Balint, Barragán, Beyer, Blunt Rochester, Bonamici, Bowman, Brownley, Bush,  Cárdenas, Casar, Chu, Clarke, Cleaver, Cohen, Doggett, Escobar, Espaillat, Evans, Frost, Garcia (IL), Gomez, Grijalva, Hayes, Holmes Norton, Hoyle, Huffman, Jacobs, Jayapal, Johnson (GA), Kamlager-Dove, Khanna, Krishnamoorthi, Lee (CA), Lieu, Lofgren, Lynch, McGovern, Meng, Nadler, Napolitano, Omar, Panetta, Pingree, Pocan, Porter, Quigley, Raskin, Ryan, Salinas, Schakowsky, Schiff, Stansbury, Takano, Tlaib, Tokuda, Tonko, Vargas, Velazquez, Waston Coleman, Williams (GA), Wilson (FL) Senate Cosponsors: Blumenthal, Merkley, Markey, Warren, Booker, Welch

Endorsing Organizations: 350.org, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Popular Democracy, Earthworks Action, Food and Water Watch, Friends of the Earth, League of Conservation Voters, MoveOn, National Organization for Women, Sunrise Movement, and more. 

Issues: Environment and Energy

Original source can be found here

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